Apparatus for gapping slide fastener chain



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United States Patent 3,129,498 APPARATUS FOR GAPPING SLIDE FASTENER CHAIN George W. Runnels, Meadville, Pa., assignor to Talon, Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 9, 1962, Ser. No. 193,469 24 Claims. (Cl. 29-200) This invention relates to apparatus for manufacturing slide fasteners, and more particularly to apparatus for removing severed sections of interlocked coils from continuous length fastener chain of the so-called filament type so as to provide spaced-apart gap spaces therealong.

As well known to those skilled in the art, coil or fila ment type slide fastener chain consists of a pair of continuous interlocked formed coils or filament attached to the opposed edges of a pair of stringer tapes. It is most desirable to provide gap spaces in such chain at spaced apart intervals therealong as a matter of convenience in handling while in continuous chain form at which points the chain is later cut into individual fastener lengths and it is to such apparatus that the present invention relates.

Accordingly, it is the general object of this invention to provide improved apparatus by means of which previously severed sections of interlocked coils or filament are automatically removed from the opposed edges of the stringer tapes so as to provide the desirable spacedapart gap spaces therealong and leaving interconnected fastener lengths therein of the desired length as the cham moves into and through the apparatus.

It is another object of the invention to provide improved gapping apparatus for slide fastener chain of the filament type wherein the actuation of the apparatus is controlled automatically by the fastener chain as it passes therealong.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such apparatus which is efficient and effective in its use and at the same time simple and inexpensive in its construction and eifectively removes a section of coiled lament at spaced apart intervals along the chain without the attention of an operator.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent in the course of the following specification, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown for the purpose of illustration, an embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved gapping apparatus in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a short length of continuous slide fastener chain exemplifying the type of chain which is to be passed through the apparatus of the present invention to provide the gap spaces therealong,

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the apparatus partly broken away,

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the continuous chain pulling mechanism which is positioned on the table or frame to the right of the apparatus, as shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the jaws of the oscillating member in position to grasp the end of the fastener filament,

FIG. 6 is an end view of the apparatus partly broken away and in section,

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the oscillating member shown in its protracted position with the jaws carried thereby in their open position,

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the oscillating member moving toward its retracted position with the jaws closed and grasping the end of the filament.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the improved apparatus of the present invention consists of a frame or support 2 having legs 3 and a top 4. There is arranged in an opening centrally of the top, a plate-like member 5 having an elongated channeled guideway 6 arranged therein which is substantially rectangular shape in cross section for guiding the continuous filament fastener chain through the apparatus. At one end of platelike member 5 there is arranged thereabove a guide or hold-down block 7 which cooperates with the guideway to guide the chain therealong.

Adjacent this block 7, there is arranged above the guideway 6 a releasable shoe-like clamping member 8 having its lower face preferably knurled. On the upper end of this clamping member 8, there is attached thereto one end of a plunger-like stud 9. The opposite end of this stud is attached to one end of a rocker arm 10. This rocker arm is rockably arranged intermediate its length on one end of a shaft 12. This plunger-like stud 9 is reciprocably arranged in an arm 13 carried by a bracket member 14 carried by the plate-like member 5. Encircling this stud 9 between the arm 13 and the outer end of the rocker arm 10 with which it cooperates there is provided a coil spring 20. The shaft 12 is securely arranged in a pair of spaced-apart upwardly extending portions 15 carried by the bracket member 14.

There is also arranged above the guideway 6 at a spaced distance from the clamping member 8, an end stop contact or feeler assembly 16. There is mounted for reciprocable movement in this feeler assembly, a plunger-like member 17 which is positioned directly above the guideway 6 and parallel thereto, one end of which is adapted to cooperate with the end stop member on the continuous fastener chain as it passes therealong in a manner and for a purpose hereinafter to be described. This end stop contact assembly is secured to the lower end of a plunger-like stud 18 which is reciprocably mounted in an arm 19 carried by the bracket member 14. The upper end of this stud 13 is attached to the outer end of a rocker arm 21 which also is mounted on the shaft 12 intermediate its length.

Adjacent this end stop contact assembly 16, there is arranged on the bracket 14, a micro-switch 22 having an arm 23 which cooperates with the outer end of the plunger-like member 17. This micro-switch is arranged in an electrical circuit for controlling the actuation of the various mechanisms of the apparatus.

Between the clamping member 8 and the end stop contact assembly 16, there is arranged on an arm of the bracket member 14, a movable block-like member 24 which is mounted on a pin 25 carried by the arm of the bracket for oscillating movement. There is mounted on this block-like member 24, a vertically extending movable finger-like spring loaded member 26 with the lower end thereof positioned directly above the guideway 6.

In suitable bearings arranged on the frame 2, there is positioned in suitable bearings a main drive shaft 27 having a solenoid actuated clutch 28 arranged therewith and a sprocket 29 and a pulley 30. There is also moun ed on this shaft 27, a crank plate assembly 31 having a crank pin 32 arranged therewith to which one end of a connecting rod 33 is pivotally attached.

Directly above this main drive shaft 27 and parallel thereto, there is arranged in suitable bearings mounted on the under side of the table top 4 and below the platelike member 5 another shaft 34. On this shaft there is securely arranged a block-like cam member 35 and a crank arm 35a to which the upper end of the connecting rod 33 is pivotally connected, as at 37. There is also arranged to one side on thist shaft 34 opposite the block-like member 35, a radially extending oscillat ing arm-like member 38 having a jaw member 39 arranged therewith which is stationary relative thereto. There is also mounted in this arm 38, a jaw member 40 which is movable relative to the arm and to the stationary jaw 39 with which it cooperates to grasp and pull a severed section of mated filament from the continuous fastener chain in a manner to be described.

The inner end of this movable jaw member 40 has a beveled end surface, as at 41, which cooperates with the beveled cam surfaces 42 and 43 carried by the blocklike member 35. In a recess in the oscillating member 38, there is arranged a. coil spring 4d which cooperates with the lower end of an extension of the movable jaw member 40 to move and maintain the same normally in its retracted or open position.

On the opposite end of this block-like cam member 35, there is arranged in a pair of spaced-apart extensions 45 thereof a pair of opposed adjustable screws 4-6 and 46a which extend into the space 47 between the extensions 45. There is arranged on the shaft 34 and attached to this oscillating member 38, a circular member 48 around which there is disposed a friction brake 49. There is carried by this circular drum-like member 48, an outwardly extending pin 50 which is disposed in the space 46 between the inner ends of the screws 46 with which it cooperates.

There is pivotally attached, as at 8th, to the inner end of the rocker arm 10, the upper end of a vertically extending connecting rod 51. This rod extends down through the plate-like member and has its lower end pivotally attached, as at 52, to one end of a rocker arm 53. There is also pivotally attached, as at 54, to the inner end of the rocker arm 21, a similar vertically extending connecting rod 55 which likewise extends down through the plate-like member 5 and having its lower end pivotally attached, as at 56, to one end of another rocker arm 57. The opposite ends of these rocker arms 53 and 5'7 are pivotally attached as at 58 and 59 respectively to a pair of respective extensions 60 and 61 extending down wardly below the plate-like member 5. Intermediate the length of these rocker arms 53 and 57, there is car ried thereby cam rollers 62 and 63 respectively which are positioned on and cooperate with eccentrics 64 and 65, respectively secured to the main drive shaft 27.

There is provided preferably a hand wheel 66 secured to a shaft 67 mounted in suitable bearings arranged on the under side of the plate-like member 5. On this shaft 67 there is arranged, a sprocket 68 around which there is. disposed a chain 69 with this chain also being disposed around the sprocket 29 on the main drive shaft 27.

There is provided a suitable electric motor (not shown) for driving the main drive shaft 27 by means of the pulley 30 mounted thereon in a well known manner.

There is also provided an electro-magnet 70 for controlling the actuation of the clutch 23 arranged with the main drive shaft 27 which in turn controls the actuation of the oscillating jaw holding member 38. As has been previously explained, the actuation of this electro-magnet is controlled by the micro-switch 22 arranged above the guideway 6.

At one side of the frame 2 and at the end of the table top 4 thereon, there is arranged mechanism for pulling the continuous length chain through the apparatus. This mechanism including a drum or roller 71 partially around the periphery of which the continuous chain is disposed, as more clearly shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, which drum is mounted on a shaft 72 carried by a bracket 73 attached to the frame on the underside of the top. There is also secured to this shaft 72 a pulley 74 around which there is arranged a belt 75 which connects with another pulley on the shaft of an electric motor (not shown). There is also provided a hold-down roller 76 which cooperates with the periphery of the drum 71 4 to hold the chain in engagement therewith. This roller 76 is mounted on a shaft 77 carried by an extension of the bracket 73. This roller 76 is maintained in contact with the periphery of the drum 71 by means of a coil spring arrangement 78.

Having described the construction of the improved apparatus of the present invention, it functions in the following manner. It will be understood that the apparatus is designed to remove severed sections of interlocked filament from continuous length slide fastener chain of the so called continuous filament type at spacedapart intervals so as to provide a series of gap spaces in chain at which points the chain is later cut to provide individual fastener lengths having tape ends extending beyond the interlocked filament.

Such a fastener chain C, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, consists of a pair of stringer tapes T having a pair of continuous coiled or spiral interlocking fastener filaments F attached usually by sewing to the opposed edges thereof. The chain has been previously cut by other apparatus, as at C and C at spaced apart intervals therealong so as to remove a section of the filament as at C but merely severed at C thereby leaving the section S in the gap space G which has to be removed and which removal is accomplished by the use of the apparatus of the present invention. There is attached to the opposed edges of the two tapes T at the end of each of the gap spaces G along the chain, a bottom or end stop B joining the tapes together and for the purpose of limiting the movement of the slider along the fastener in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

Now as to the operation of the apparatus, the fastener chain C is threaded into and through the apparatus so that the interlocked filament F is positioned in the guide- Way 6 in the top of the plate-like member 5 and disposed around the feed drum 71 at the end of the table top 4. The apparatus having the fastener chain positioned therein is now in readiness for operation and the motors for controlling various mechanisms are then energized so as to rotate the shafts 27 and 72.

As the fastener chain C is pulled into the machine and along the guideway 6 by the rotating roller or drum '71, the end stop B will strike the inner end of the plungerlike member 17 of the end stop contact assembly thereby moving the same against the arm 23 of the microswitch 22 so as to close the same.

At this instant the shoe-like clamping member 8 is moved downwardly on top of the chain C by the eccentric 65 so as to securely clamp the chain in cooperation with the guideway 6 thereby preventing movement of the chain along the guideway.

When the micro-switch 22 closes it energizes the solenoid to which it is electrically connected thereby actuating the clutch 28. This clutch will then actuate the oscillating member 33 through the rotation of the shaft 27 with which it is arranged, the crank plate 31, the crank pin 32 and the connecting rod 33. This oscillating member will thereby be moved in a counter clockwise direction from horizontal or retracted position to a vertical or protracted position, as shown in FIG. 8 of the drawings. It will be understood that when this oscillating member is at rest or in its retracted position the pin 50 bears against the end of the screw 46.

When the oscillating member 38 is in its fully protracted position it will be understood that the stationary jaw 39 is positioned in the space between the stringer tapes T and above the end of the section S of filament to be removed and that the opposed movable jaw 40 is positioned below the filament section.

When the oscillating member 33 has been moved to a vertical or protracted position through such action, the crank pin 32 will be in its most downward position or the bottom of the stroke, as shown in FIG. 8. As the crank plate 31 continues to rotate in a counter clockwise direction, the connecting rod 33 will be moved upwardly thereby moving the block-like member 35 in a clockwise direction. It will be understood that the circular drumlike member 48 is always frictionally held against unintentional rotation by means of the friction brake 49. Accordingly, when the block-like member 35 is caused to rotate in such direction the circular drum-like member 48 will remain stationary for an instant in its protracted position. Upon continued movement of this block-like member, the cam surface 41 will be moved out of contact with the cam surface on the lower end of the movable jaw 40 and the cam surface 42 will be moved into contact therewith. In such movement the jaw 40 will be moved upwardly and in cooperation with the stationary jaw 39 will grasp firmly the end of the section S of the filament. In such position of the block-like member, it will be seen that the pin 50 carried by the circular drum like member 48 will have moved out of contact with the end of the screw 46 and into contact with the end of the opposed screw 46a. When this pin strikes the screw 46a it will move the oscillating member 48 in a clockwise direction against the action of the friction brake 49, thereby pulling the section S from the edges of the stringer tapes T to provide the desired gap space.

When the connecting rod 33 has reached its uppermost position and the crank plate 31 continues to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction the oscillating member will be moved to its fully retracted or substantially horizontal position and the pin 50 carried by the oscillating member 48 will move out of contact with the end of the screw 46a and again into contact with the end of the screw 46. In such movement it will be seen that the cam surface 41 of the block-like member 35 will be moved out of contact with end of the movable jaw 140 and the cam surface 42 again moved into contact therewith thereby permitting the jaw 49 to move downwardly due to the action of the coil spring 44 so as to release the grasping action of the jaws on the end of the section of filament. The section S of filament thus removed is then removed from between the jaws preferably by means of an air jet (not shown).

At about this instant the shoe-like clamping member 8 is moved upwardly out of contact with the fastener chain C through the action of the eccentric 65 thereby permitting the fastener chain to move along the guideway 6 through action of feed drum 71 until the bottom stop B at the end of the next gap space G along the chain strikes the end stop contact member plunger 23 of the end stop member 16.

It will be understood that the end stop contact member 16 is moved upwardly at the end the cycle through the action of the eccentric 64 and its associated mechanism so as to permit the bottom or end stop B on the chain to pass thereinunder and along the guideway. This completes one cycle of operation of the apparatus.

The spring loaded finger-like member 26 is merely a safety device so as to insure that the jaw members 39 and 4t grasp the section of filament. The lower end of this finger-like member normally rests on and straddles the coiled section S of filament and the opposed edges of the stringer tapes T at a point directly opposite the jaws 39 and 40 when they are disposed in their protracted position.

As a result of my invention, it will be seen that there is provided an improved apparatus for gapping slide fastener chain wherein accurate and speedy removal of the coil sections is accomplished so as to provide gap spaces and tape ends free of undesirable cut coil sections, thereby greatly facilitating the production of most satisfactory slide fasteners.

While I have shown and described an embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purpose of illustration and description, and that other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Apparatus for gapping slide fastener chain having a V 3 pair of mated continuous interlocking filaments secured to the opposed edges of a pair of stringer tapes and having a series of gap spaces and a severed section of mated filament arranged therein at spaced apart intervals throughout the length of the chain with an end stop member secured to end of the mated filament at one end of each of said gap spaces comprising a support, means arranged on said support for securely clamping the chain intermittently as it passes therealong, means for actuating said clamping means, means for guiding and conveying the fastener chain into and through the apparatus along said clamping means, means arranged on said support at a spaced distance from said clamping means, which cooperates with the end stop members as they pass successively therealong, said last mentioned means adapted to control the actuation of said clamping means, an oscillating member arranged on said support between said clamping means and said last means, means for oscillating said member in timed relation with said clamping means, means carried by said oscillating member for gripping a severed section of mated coil and pulling it from the edges of the opposed tapes, and means of actuating said gripping means in timed relation with said clamping means. 2. Appmatus as defined in claim 1, including a main drive shaft arranged on said support, means for driving said drive shaft, a second shaft arranged substantially parallel to said drive shaft, said oscillating member mounted on said second shaft, means arranged between said oscillating member and said drive shaft by which the former is intermittently actuated, means arranged on said second shaft for actuating said clamping means, means arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said end contacting means, and a solenoid actuated clutch arranged with said main drive shaft for intermittently rotating the same. 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including a main drive shaft arranged on said support, means for driving said drive shaft, 3. second shaft arranged substantially parallel to said drive shaft, said oscillating member mounted on said second shaft, means arranged between said oscillating member and said drive shaft by which the former is intermittently actuated, means arranged on said second shaft for actuating said clamping means, and means arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said end stop contact means. 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, including a rocker arm arranged on said support for actuating said clamping means, a cam arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said rocker arm, a second rocker arm arranged on said support for actuating said feeler member,

and a second cam arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said second rocker arm. 1 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, including a solenoid actuated clutch arranged with said main drive shaft for actuating said oscillating member, said clamping means and said end stop contact member, and a switch arranged with said end stop contact member for controlling the actuation of said solenoid. 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including a feed roller around which the chain is adapted to be disposed for pulling continuously the slide fastener chain into and through the apparatus,

and means for driving said feed roller.

7. Apparatus for gapping slide fastener chain having a pair of mated continuous interlocking filaments secured to the opposed edges of a pair of stringer tapes and having a series of gap spaces and a severed section of mated filament arranged therein at spaced apart intervals throughout the length of the chain with an end stop member secured to end of the mated filament at one end of each of said gap spaces comprising a support,

means arranged on said support for securely clamping the chain intermittently as it passes therealong,

means for actuating said clamping means,

means for guiding and conveying the fastener chain into and through the apparatus along said clamping means,

a feeler member arranged on said support at a spaced distance from said clamping means, which cooperates with the end stop members as they pass successively therealong,

said feeler member being arranged with a switch, the

actuation of which it controls,

an oscillating member arranged on said support between said clamping means and said feeler member,

means for oscillating said member in timed relation with said clamping means,

means carried by said oscillating member for gripping a severed section of mated coil and pulling it from the edges of the opposed tapes,

and means for actuating said gripping means in timed relation with said clamping means.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, including a main drive shaft arranged on said support,

means for driving said drive shaft,

a second shaft arranged substantially parallel to said drive shaft,

said oscillating member mounted on said second shaft,

a connecting member arranged between said oscillating member and said drive shaft by which the former is intermittently actuated,

a cam arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said clamping means,

a second cam arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said feeler member, and

a solenoid actuated clutch arranged with said main drive shaft for intermittently rotating the same.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, including a main drive shaft arranged on said support,

means for driving said drive shaft,

a second shaft arranged substantially parallel to said drive shaft,

said oscillating member mounted on said second shaft,

means arranged between said oscillating member and said drive shaft by which the former is intermittently actuated,

means arranged on said second shaft for actuating said clamping means, and

means arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said feeler member.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, including a rocker arm arranged on said support for actuating said clamping means,

a cam arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said rocker arm,

a second rocker arm arranged on said support for actuating said feeler member, and

a second cam arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said second rocker arm.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, including a solenoid actuated clutch arranged with said main drive shaft for actuating said oscillating member, said clamping means and said end stop contact member,

and a switch arranged with said end stop contact member for controlling the actuation of said solenoid. 12. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, including a feed roller around which the chain is adapted tosecured to the opposed edges of a pair of stringer tapes,

and having a series of gap spaces and a severed section of mated filament arranged therein at spaced apart intervals throughout the length of the chain with an end stop member secured to end of the mated filament at one end of each of said gap spaces comprising a support,

means arranged on said support for securely clamping the chain intermittently as it passes therealong,

means for actuating said clamping means,

means for guiding and conveying the fastener chain into and through the apparatus past said clamping means,

a feeler member arranged on said support at a spaced distance from said clamping means, which cooperates with the end stop members as they pass successively therealong,

said feeler member being arranged with a switch the actuation of which it controls,

an oscillating member arranged on said support between said clamping means and said feeler member,

means for oscillating said member in timed relation with said clamping means,

a pair of opposed jaws carried by said oscillating member with one being movable relative to the other,

and means for actuating said movable jaw in timed relation with said clamping means,

said jaws adapted to enter the gap spaces as they pass successively therealong and said jaws in cooperation with one another adapted to grasp the end of the severed section of mated filament and pull the same from the edges of the opposed tapes.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, including a main drive shaft arranged on said support,

means for driving said drive shaft,

a second shaft arranged substantially parallel to said drive shaft,

said oscillating member mounted on said second shaft,

a connecting member arranged between said oscillating member and said drive shaft by which the former is intermittently actuated,

a cam arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said clamping means,

a second cam arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said feeler member, and

a solenoid actuated clutch arranged with said main drive shaft for intermittently rotating the same.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, including a main drive shaft arranged on said support,

means for driving said drive shaft,

a second shaft arranged substantially parallel to said drive shaft,

said oscillating member mounted on said said second shaft,

means arranged between said oscillating member and said drive shaft by which the former is intermittently actuated,

means arranged on said second shaft for actuating said clamping means, and

means arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said feeler member.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15, including a rocker arm arranged on said support for actuating said clamping means,

a cam arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said rocker arm,

a second rocker arm arranged on said support for actuating said feeler member,

and a second cam arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said second rocker arm.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 15, including a solenoid actuated clutch arranged with said main drive shaft for actuating said oscillating member, said clamping means and said end stop contact member,

and a switch arranged with said end stop contact member for controlling the actuation of said solenoid.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, including a feed roller around which the chain is adapted to be disposed for pulling continuously the slide fastener chain into and through the apparatus,

and means for driving said feed roller.

19. Apparatus for gappiug slide fastener chain having a pair of mated continuous interlocking filaments secured to the opposed edges of a pair of stringer tapes and having a series of gap spaces and a severed section of mated filament arranged therein at spaced apart intervals throughout the length of the chain with an end stop member secured to end of the mated filament at one end of each of said gap spaces comprising a support,

a channeled guideway arranged on said support for guiding the chain through the apparatus,

a releasable clamping member arranged above said guideway and which cooperates therewith to grip the chain intermittently as it passes therealong,

means for actuating said clamping member,

means for moving the fastener chain along said guideway in under said clamping member,

an end stop contact member arranged above said guideway at a spaced distance from said clamping member,

means for actuating said end stop contact member,

an oscillating member arranged on said support between said clamping member and said contact member opposite an opening in said guideway,

means for actuating said oscillating member,

a pair of opposed jaws carried by said oscillating member with one being movable relative to the other,

means for actuating said movable jaw in timed relation with said clamping member, and

a switch arranged with said contact member for controlling the actuation of said clamping member actuating means and said oscillating member actuating means,

said jaws adapted to enter the gap spaces as they pass successively along the guideway and said jaws in cooperation with one another adapted to grasp the end of the severed section of mated filament and pull the same from the edges of the opposed tapes.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19, including a main drive shaft arranged on said support,

drive shaft arranged on said support,

means for driving said drive shaft,

a second shaft arranged substantially parallel to said drive shaft,

said oscillating member mounted on said second shaft,

means arranged between said oscillating member and said drive shaft by which the former is intermittently actuated,

means arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said clamping member, and

means arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said end stop contact member.

22. Apparatus as defined in claim 21, including a rocker arm arranged on said support for actuating said clamping member,

a cam arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said rocker arm,

a second rocker arm arranged on said support for actuating said end stop contact member,

and a second cam arranged on said drive shaft for actuating said second rocker arm.

23. Apparatus as defined in claim 21, including a solenoid actuated clutch arranged with said main drive shaft for actuating said oscillating member, said clamping member and said end stop contact member,

and a switch arranged with said end stop contact member for controlling the actuation of said solenoid.

24. Apparatus as defined in claim 19, including a feed roller arranged at the forward end of said guideway around which the chain is adapted to be disposed for pulling continuously the slide fastener chain into and along the guideway,

and means for driving said feed roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,776,466 Neitlich Jan. 8, 1957 2,987,809 Burbank June 13, 1961 3,005,581 Burbank Oct. 24, 1961 

1. APPARATUS FOR GAPPING SLIDE FASTENER CHAIN HAVING A PAIR OF MATED CONTINUOUS INTERLOCKING FILAMENTS SECURED TO THE OPPOSED EDGES OF A PAIR OF STRINGER TAPES AND HAVING A SERIES OF GAP SPACES AND A SEVERED SECTION OF MATED FILAMENT ARRANGED THEREIN AT SPACED APART INTERVALS THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF THE CHAIN WITH AN END STOP MEMBER SECURED TO END OF THE MATED FILAMENT AT ONE END OF EACH OF SAID GAP SPACES COMPRISING A SUPPORT, MEANS ARRANGED ON SAID SUPPORT FOR SECURELY CLAMPING THE CHAIN INTERMITTENTLY AS IT PASSES THEREALONG. MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID CLAMPING MEANS, MEANS FOR GUIDING AND CONVEYING THE FASTENER CHAIN INTO AND THROUGH THE APPARATUS ALONG SAID CLAMPING MEANS, MEANS ARRANGED ON SAID SUPPORT AT A SPACED DISTANCE FROM SAID CLAMPING MEANS, WHICH COOPERATES WITH THE END STOP MEMBERS AS THEY PASS SUCCESSIVELY THEREALONG. SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS ADAPTED TO CONTROL THE ACTUATION OF SAID CLAMPING MEANS, AN OSCILLATING MEMBER ARRANGED ON SAID SUPPORT BETWEEN SAID CLAMPING MEANS AND SAID LAST MEANS, MEANS FOR OSCILLATING SAID MEMBER IN TIMED RELATION WITH SAID CLAMPING MEANS, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID OSCILLATING MEMBER FOR GRIPPING A SEVERED SECTION OF MATED COIL AND PULLING IT FROM THE EDGES OF THE OPPOSED TAPES, AND MEANS OF ACTUATING SAID GRIPPING MEANS IN TIMED RELATION WITH SAID CLAMPING MEANS. 